Panchitta Marra wrote:JUKESAYS wrote:FWarrior wrote:I think Neil Jokes has done well and earned the right to have a dig at coahing in SL. It is a huge task and maybe all that matters is Leigh avoiding relegation.
I do think Leigh have a huge task. Gaz Hock in the 2nd row, Ryan Hampshire calming down in defence will help. It took Cas a while to break Leigh down and Cas are being touted as top 4 by some.
Fair assessment
Not many, if any, teams have come Into super league and finished anything other than bottom?
Leigh finish higher than bottom and win maybe 6/7 games they'll have done really well.
Talk of top 8 which would mean 10 wins in a 23 games season is unrealistic for me.
Don't think anyone has come into super league and won more than 5/6 in a 27 game season?
Always difficult for a promoted team to get established in SL with players having to play continually at an increased intensity and new players not settled into the playing structure.
I do feel that Leigh have experience, however, that comes with a more aged player. How do you feel the age of players, more so the forwards will cope with this continued intensity week in week out.
I think it will be difficult and not just because of their age.
It takes time and sometimes time is a rare commodity from many people least of all fans.
Although having quite a few +30s could be seen as a bad thing I think with the other players complimenting them such has hood(no comment) hopkins/green/pellissier/burr/acton/maria they've got some fresh legs when needed to compliment the older heads. In the backs i think the Signing of ben crooks and Curtis Laughton will prove to be really good additions although they've been unlucky again with the injuries to McNally (which creates issue at FB I don't think Hampshire will resolve)and James Clare.
Obviously been keeping an eye on Leigh message boards and got quite a few people who talk to me about Leigh chances and having seen quite a lot of them over the past 2 years it's hard to quell their enthusiasm and get them to manage their expectations.
I described it last week before the cas game that's it's like Wigan playing a top Aussie team or England playing the Aus international team.
Every now and again you will get them, EVERY now and again you will create chance, you will have good spells etc.
But
You'd better make the most out of them because they only need a sniff and they'll get you, they'll take their chances and they'll beat you.
I know Leigh are approaching each game to the best of their abilities and I do think they will pick up some good results along the way but i just hope they're prepared to be patient and (this is only my opinion) accept that SL survival for me would be a Good season.
Without the million pound game I would call it a successful season.
If they are patient then I can see them pushing on in year 2/3 as there are lots of good things going on behind the scenes that will stand them in good stead moving forward.